Systems and methods for shaping materials

ABSTRACT

Shaping systems and methods suitable for cutting a material, and deburring devices for performing a deburring operation on an edge of the material. Such deburring devices include a manifold having at least first, second, and third nozzles having first, second, and third axes on different first, second, and third planes, respectively. The first, second, and third nozzles are adapted to project first, second, and third gas streams therefrom in the first, second, and third planes axes. A mechanism is provided for orienting the manifold to project the first, second, and third gas streams at the edge of the material.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a division patent application of co-pending U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/256,139, filed Sep. 2, 2016, which claims thebenefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/214,951, filed Sep. 5,2015. The contents of these prior which are incorporated herein byreference. In addition, this application is related to U.S. Pat. Nos.7,806,029 and 8,402,868, which claim the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 60/691,357, filed Jun. 17, 2005. The contents of theseprior applications are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to systems and methods for shaping material.

Steel slabs of material can be shaped using a variety of equipment andtechniques (such as slitting, cutting, etc.). Such equipment,hereinafter referred to collectively as slab shaping systems or simplyshaping systems, include equipment employed to cut or slit slabs intonarrower strips in preparation for use or shipment. U.S. Pat. Nos.7,806,029 and 8,402,868 disclose shaping systems that overcome variousdrawbacks associated with previous shaping systems and methods, such asthe inclusion of a deburring device that removes burrs along the edgesof a cut or slit formed during a shaping operation. Nonetheless, thereis an ongoing need for shaping systems and methods capable offacilitating certain aspects of shaping operations of the type that maybe performed on slabs of material. As a particular example, there is anongoing need to improve the effectiveness of the deburring operation inorder to more consistently remove burrs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides shaping systems and methods capable ofshaping materials, including slabs of steel.

According to one aspect of the invention, a shaping system for cutting amaterial includes means for supporting the material and at least firstand second carriage units independently operable to travel parallel toan axis of the supporting means. The first carriage unit comprises acutting device coupled thereto with a first arm, and the second carriageunit comprises a deburring device coupled thereto with a second arm. Thecutting device and the deburring device are coupled to the first andsecond carriage units, respectively, so as to move in a travel directionrelative to the material supported by the supporting means and performcutting and deburring operations, respectively, from opposite surfacesof the material.

Another aspect of the invention is a method of cutting a material usinga shaping system comprising the elements described above.

According to another aspect of the invention, a deburring device adaptedfor performing a deburring operation on an edge of a material includes amanifold having at least first, second, and third nozzles having first,second, and third axes on different first, second, and third planes,respectively. The first, second, and third nozzles are adapted toproject first, second, and third gas streams therefrom in the first,second, and third planes axes. A mechanism is provided for orienting themanifold to project the first, second, and third gas streams at the edgeof the material.

Technical effects of the system, method, and device described abovepreferably include the ability to perform a cutting or slittingoperation on a slab or material with improved effectiveness of theconcurrent deburring operation in order to more consistently removeburrs. Additional aspects of certain nonlimiting embodiments of theinvention include the ability to perform multiple cutting and deburringoperations simultaneously on a slab of material, and/or provide meansfor efficient removal and cleaning of debris collected during thecutting or slitting operation.

Various aspects and advantages of this invention will be appreciatedfrom the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first nonlimiting embodiment of ashaping system and depicts a slab of material positioned on a table ofthe system.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the shaping system shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a detailed view of a portion of a gas delivery unit for adeburring device of the shaping system shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are bottom and rear views, respectively, of the shapingsystem shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIGS. 6 through 13 are additional views of the shaping system shown inFIGS. 1 through 5.

FIG. 14 contains various views of a distribution valve of the gasdelivery unit shown in FIG. 3.

FIGS. 15 and 16 are perspective and front views of a second nonlimitingdeburring device of the shaping system shown in FIGS. 1 through 13.

FIG. 17 contains a top, perspective view of a subcomponent of thedeburring device shown in FIGS. 15 and 16.

FIGS. 18 and 19 contains top and side views of flow paths of gases fromthe deburring device shown in FIGS. 15 and 16.

FIG. 20 is a side view of a second nonlimiting embodiment of a shapingsystem and depicts a slab of material positioned on a table of thesystem.

FIGS. 21 and 22 are perspective views of the shaping system shown inFIG. 20.

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a third nonlimiting embodiment of ashaping system and depicts a slab of material positioned on tables ofthe system.

FIGS. 24, 25, and 26 are top, side, and front views of the shapingsystem shown in FIG. 23.

FIG. 27 is a cross-sectional view of the shaping system shown in FIG. 23taken along section line A-A of FIG. 24.

FIG. 28 is a perspective view of the shaping system of FIG. 23 duringoperation.

FIGS. 29 through 32 are additional views of the shaping system shown inFIGS. 23 through 27.

FIG. 33 is a perspective view of the shaping system shown in FIGS. 23through 27 in a cleaning position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 through 19 represent and depict various aspects of a nonlimitingembodiment of a first shaping system 10 within the scope of theinvention. Although the invention will be described hereinafter inreference to particular features/functions schematically shown in thedrawings, it should be noted that the teachings of the invention are notlimited to these particular features/functions, and the invention doesnot require all of the features/functions or the interfunctionalityrepresented in the drawings. Furthermore, it should be noted that thedrawings are drawn for purposes of clarity when viewed in combinationwith the following description, and therefore are not necessarily toscale. To facilitate the following description of the embodimentrepresented in the drawings, relative terms, including but not limitedto, “vertical,” “horizontal,” “lateral,” “front,” “rear,” “side,”“forward,” “rearward,” “upper,” “lower,” “above,” “below,” “right,”“left,” etc., may be used in reference to an orientation of the systemduring its operation, and therefore are relative terms but should not beotherwise interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention.

The contents of U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,806,029 and 8,402,868 are incorporatedherein by reference. In view of similarities between the system shown inthe drawings and the system of U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,806,029 and 8,402,868,the following discussion will focus primarily on certain aspects of thesystem, whereas other aspects not discussed in any detail may be, interms of structure, function, materials, etc., similar to what wasdescribed for the system of U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,806,029 and 8,402,868.

The nonlimiting embodiment of the system 10 represented in FIGS. 1-14includes a table 12, of which a portion is represented to show anopening 14, which may be a slot or other space within which one or moreoperations are performed on a slab 16 of material. The slab 16 may beformed of a wide variety of materials, of which steel is a nonlimitingexample. In the embodiment represented in the drawings, two operationsare being performed on the slab 16: a cutting or slitting operation(hereinafter, cutting operation) performed by what will be referred toas a cutting device 18, and a deburring operation performed by what willbe referred to as a deburring device 20. The cutting and deburringdevices 18 and 20 are represented as traveling above and below,respectively, the slab 16 so that the cutting operation is performedabove the opening 14 and the deburring operation is performed fromwithin the opening 14.

The cutting device 18 may comprise, for example, any suitable meanscapable of partially or entirely cutting through the slab 16. Asnonlimiting examples, the cutting device 18 may comprise a cuttingtorch, water saw, laser cutting tool, etc. The deburring device 20preferably comprises a means for forcibly removing burs from a slit 22as the slit 22 is formed by the cutting device 18 or soon after the slit22 is formed and the material that would otherwise form burs is stillmolten. Further details of a deburring device 20 will be described belowin reference to FIGS. 15 through 19.

The cutting and deburring devices 18 and 20 are coupled to separatecarriage units 30A and 30B, respectively. Each of the units 30A and 30Bis adapted to travel at least part of the distance between opposite ends24 and 26 of the table 12 along what will be referred to herein as thelongitudinal axis of the table 12. This travel direction 28, indicatedby an arrow in FIG. 1 (though equally applicable to travel in adirection opposite the arrow 28), may be accomplished by way of a tracksystem 32 that couples the carriage units 30A and 30B to the table 12.Each carriage unit 30A and 30B generally includes a base 34A or 34Bcoupled to an arm 36A or 36B that carries its respective cutting device18 or deburring device 20. Though capable of traveling in unison if sodesired, because the cutting device 18 and deburring device 20 arecoupled to separate carriage units, they are able to travelindependently of each other in directions parallel the longitudinal axisof the table 12. As depicted in FIG. 1, the arms 36A and 36B of thecarriage units 30A and 30B define a slab-receiving channel 38therebetween within which the slab 16 is supported by the table 12. Thecutting device 18 is coupled to the arm 36A and extends therefrom in adirection that is substantially orthogonal/perpendicular to the traveldirection 28 to direct the cutting device 18 toward an upper facesurface 40 of the slab 16 for cutting a slit 22 through the slab 16 fromthe upper face surface 40 of the slab 16 to a lower face surface 42 ofthe slab 16. Similarly, the deburring device 20 is coupled to itscorresponding arm 36B and extends therefrom in a direction that issubstantially orthogonal/perpendicular to the travel direction (arrow)28 to direct the deburring device 20 toward the lower face surface 42 ofthe slab 16. As represented, the cutting device 18 and deburring device20 can be directed in opposing directions.

Each carriage units 30A and 30B preferably comprises a motor 44A or 44Badapted to operate in conjunction with the track system 32, for example,via a pinion (not shown), to cause movement of the units 30A and 30B.The motors 44A and 44B enable each carriage unit 30A and 30B, andtherefore their corresponding cutting or deburring device 18 or 20, toindividually and independently move in the travel direction 28 acrossthe slab 16. The motors 44A and 44B can be controlled by any suitablecontrol means, for example, a PLC (not shown). The control means may beprogrammed so that when a slab 16 is placed on the table 12, thecarriage units 30A and 30B move to respective cutting and deburring“home” positions. Upon detecting one of the sides (“gaging” side 46) ofthe slab 16 with a laser unit 48 (or other suitable detection means),the cutting device 18 and deburring device 20 can be moved with themotors to appropriate positions for initiating their respective cuttingand deburring operations. Thereafter, as the slab 16 is being cut, themotors 44A and 44B cause the carriage units 30A and 30B to both travelparallel to the longitudinal axis of the table 12.

In addition to their travel direction 28 parallel to the longitudinalaxis of the table 12, each carriage unit 30A and 30B is preferablyadapted to enable their respective arms 36A and 36B to move in verticaldirections toward and away from the slab 16, for example, as indicatedby the arrows 50A and 50B oriented perpendicular to the travel direction28 in FIG. 2. Each carriage unit 30A and 30B is also preferably adaptedto enable their respective arms 36A and 36B to move in lateraldirections transverse to the longitudinal axis of the table 12, forexample, as indicated by the horizontal arrows 52A and 52B orientedperpendicular to the travel direction 28 in FIG. 2. In the embodimentrepresented in the drawings, vertical movement of the arms 36A and 36Bcan be achieved with a servomotors 55A and 55B and cam-slot mechanisms56A and 56B, and lateral movement of the arms 36A and 36B can beachieved with servomotors 54A and 54B and cam-slot mechanisms 57A and57B, though other means known in the art capable of causing movement ina member or structure are also within the scope of the invention.Similar to the motors 44A and 44B, the servomotors 54A, 54B, 55A, and55B and cam-slot mechanisms 56A, 56B, 57A, and 57B can be controlledwith any suitable control means, for example, a PLC. Controlled verticalmovement and positioning (50A and 50B in FIG. 2) of the arms 36A and 36Bcan, among other things, ensure that the cutting device 18 and thedeburring device 20 are each independently positioned relative thesurfaces 40 and 42 of the slab 16 at all times during cutting anddeburring. For instance, if either surface 40 or 42 of the slab 16 isbowed, the laser unit 48 can be utilized to detect the bow by locatingthe surfaces 40 and 42, and then provide feedback to cause automaticadjustment with the corresponding servomotor 55A, 55B, of the cuttingdevice 18 and/or deburring device 20, as may be required to maintaindesired distances between these devices 18 and 20 and their adjacentsurfaces 40 and 42 of the slab 16.

The laser unit 48 can also be utilized to control lateral movement andpositioning (52A and 52B) of the arms 36A and 36B. For example, feedbackfrom the laser unit 48 can be used to position the cutting and/ordeburring device 18 and 20 relative to the gaging side 46 of the slab16, such that the lateral positions of the cutting and/or deburringdevice 18 and 20 can be at the widthwise center of the slab 16 or anyposition between the gaging side 46 and the opposite side 47 of the slab16. As such, the cutting and/or deburring device 18 and 20 can bepositioned to narrow the slab 16 or to remove a side portion of the slab16, for example, to remove a taper that may be present on one or bothsides 46 and 47 of the slab 16 as a transition between lengths of theslab 16 that have been intentionally cast to have different widths.Feedback from the laser unit 48 can also be used to ensure that thetravel directions 28 of the cutting and/or deburring device 18 and 20are parallel to the gaging side 46 of the slab 16 in the event that theslab 16 is not placed perfectly parallel to the longitudinal axis of thetable 12.

According to a preferred aspect of the invention, the servomotor 54Bthat controls the horizontal movement of the deburring device 20 via thearm 36B is also adapted to induce an oscillation movement, for example,±10 mm, so that the deburring device 20 can be moved toward and awayfrom the breakthrough point at which the slit 22 is being generated inthe slab 16 (i.e., the leading edge of the slit 22 where it exits theslab 16 at the lower surface 42) in order to more effectively removeburs trying to form at the breakthrough point. The oscillation movementis preferably at a linear velocity greater than the linear velocities ofthe cutting device 18 and deburring device 20 in the travel direction28.

Although the shaping system 10 is illustrated as having a single cuttingdevice 18 and a single deburring device 20, it will be appreciated thatthe system 10 may include more than one cutting device 18 and/or morethan one deburring device 20. For example, additional cutting devices 18and/or deburring devices 20 may be independently mounted to the carriageunits 30A and 30B or to additional carriage units similar to the units30A and 30B depicted in the drawings.

The shaping system 10 of the present invention may further optionallyinclude various features that may be present or desired in industrialequipment, including safety-related features associated with the cuttingdevice 18 and deburring device 20.

As previously noted, a particular but nonlimiting embodiment of adeburring device 20 is represented in some detail in FIGS. 15 through19. If using a torch as the cutting device 18, a preferred means ofdeburring the slit 22 is to direct a gas stream of pure oxygen orcontaining oxygen at the lower edge of the slit 22, i.e., the interfacebetween the slit 22 and the lower surface 42 of the slab 16. FIGS. 2, 6,7, 9, and 13 depict such a device 20 as comprising a manifold 90 that isconnected via a conduit 62 to a valve 64, the latter of which isdepicted in FIG. 14. As shown in FIGS. 15 through 19, the manifold 90 isin the form of a block assembly comprising a base block 96 and a pair ofnozzle blocks 98, of which one is shown. The base block 96 comprisesthree passages (not shown) for supplying one or more supply gases tothree nozzles 92 a, 92 b, and 92 c defined as a result of assembling thepair of nozzle blocks 98. As evident from FIGS. 15 through 17, thenozzle 92 a is centrally located within the assembled nozzle blocks 98and will be referred to as the central nozzle 92 a, and the tworemaining nozzles 92 b and 92 c are laterally offset from the centralnozzle 92 a and will be referred to as the lateral nozzles 92 b and 92c. The manifold 90 comprises a non-planar cross-sectional shape bestshown in FIG. 16. The shape is configured to align the axes of thecentral and lateral nozzles 92 a-c such that they converge generallytowards a focal zone or point 94, but on different planes. For example,FIGS. 18 and 19 schematically represent gas flow paths from the centraland lateral nozzles 92 a-c, with the lateral nozzle 92 c having a flowpath directed on a first plane, the central nozzle 92 a having a flowpath directed on a second plane above the first plane, and the lateralnozzle 92 b having a flow path directed on a third plane below the firstplane. Because the outlets of the nozzles 92 a-c are rectangular inshape, as a nonlimiting example, slits having a width to height aspectratio of 10:1, the gas streams that exit the nozzles 92 a-c are capableof impinging an area significantly larger than the focal zone or point94 of the converging axes of the nozzles 92 a-c.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show the placement of the arms 36A and 36B along the tracksystem 32 as positioning the deburring device 20 behind the cuttingdevice 18 relative to the travel direction 28. Consistent therewith,FIG. 7 represents the deburring device 20 and its manifold as beinglocated behind the cutting device 18 relative to the travel direction28, and as also discharging the gas streams exiting the nozzles 92 a-cgenerally in the travel direction 28 and therefore toward the locationin the slab 16 at which the cutting operation is being performed on theslab 16, and particularly toward the breakthrough point at the leadingedge of the slit 22 at the lower surface 42 of the slab 16. According toa preferred but optional aspect of the invention, the manifold 90 isoriented so that the converging axes of the nozzles 92 a-c are notparallel or perpendicular to the lower surface 42 of the slab 16, butinstead are disposed at an acute angle to the lower surface 42, as anonlimiting example, about twenty degrees as represented in FIGS. 7, 9,13, and 19. Such an orientation of the gas streams has been shown topromote deburring of a slit produced by a torch.

According to another preferred but optional aspect of the invention, thegas supplied to the central nozzle 92 a is at a lower pressure than thegas supplied to the lateral nozzles 92 b and 92 c. As a nonlimitingexample, the central nozzle 92 a may be supplied a gas at a pressure ofabout 2.5 to 3 bar, whereas the lateral nozzles 92 b and 92 c may besupplied a gas at a pressure of about 3.5 or higher. Such a distributionof the gases at different pressures has been shown to promote deburringof a slit produced by a torch. To deliver two separate gases to themanifold 90, the conduit 62 contains at least two passages that aresupplied with the gases by the valve 64.

To further promote the deburring operation and the versatility of themanifold 90, the manifold 90 is preferably capable of being rotatedabout the axis of the conduit 62 so that the gas streams exiting thenozzles 92 a-c can be selectively directed at the slit 22 or at thesurface 42 of the slab 16 to either side of the slit 22. For thisreason, FIG. 14 depicts the valve 64 as being able to continuouslysupply two different gases to the conduit 62 via passages within aninternal valve body 76 that can be rotated within an outer housing 78 ofthe valve 64. FIG. 13 depicts a motor 80 coupled to the valve 64 forthis purpose. This feature can also be employed in the event that a cuttransverse to the longitudinal axis of the table 12 is desired, forexample, in the lateral direction 52A of the cutting device 18. In suchan event, the carriage 30B can position the deburring device 20laterally behind the cutting device 18, the motor 80 operated to rotatethe deburring device 20 and direct its gas streams in the lateraldirection 52B toward the cutting device 18, and the cam-slot mechanism57B operated to cause the deburring device 20 to follow the cuttingdevice 18 in the lateral direction 52B. For this capability, the arm 36Bcarrying the deburring device 20 may be modified in order enable thedeburring device 20 to be laterally aligned with the cutting device 18.

FIGS. 20 through 22 represent and depict various aspects of anonlimiting embodiment of a second shaping system 110 within the scopeof the invention. The second shaping system 110 represented in FIGS. 20through 22 is similar in general construction and function to the firstshaping system 10 of FIGS. 1 through 19. In view of similarities betweenthe second shaping system 110 of FIGS. 20 through 22 and the firstshaping system of FIGS. 1 through 19, the following discussion willfocus primarily on certain aspects of the second shaping system 110,whereas other aspects not discussed in any detail may be, in terms ofstructure, function, materials, etc., essentially as was described forthe first shaping system 10 of FIGS. 1 through 19. In FIGS. 20 through22 consistent reference numbers are used to identify components that arethe same or functionally related/equivalent to components identified inFIGS. 1 through 19, but with a numerical prefix (1) added to distinguishcomponents depicted in FIGS. 20 through 22 from their counterpartsdepicted in FIGS. 1 through 19.

Whereas the shaping system 10 of FIGS. 1 through 19 includes the cuttingdevice 18 and the deburring device 20 coupled to the single track system32 via carriage units 30A and 30B, respectively, the shaping system 110includes a cutting device 110 coupled to a first track system 132A and adeburring device 120 coupled to a second track system 132B via carriageunits 130A and 130B, respectively. The second track system 132B islocated within an opening 114 between portions of a table 112 and hastracks on oppositely disposed sides of the table 112 to which thecarriage unit 130B is coupled. Two motors 144B enable the carriage unit130B, and therefore the deburring device 120, to individually andindependently move in the travel direction 128 across the slab 116.

The deburring device 120 is preferably connected to the carriage unit130B via an arm 136B and the carriage unit 130B is preferably adapted toenable the arm 136B to move in vertical directions toward and away fromthe slab 116 and to move in lateral directions transverse to thelongitudinal axis of the table 112. In the embodiment represented in thedrawings, vertical movement of the arm 136B relative to the carriageunit 130B can be achieved with a servomotor 155B, and lateral movementof the arm 136B along a track on the carriage unit 130B can be achievedwith servomotor 154B, though other means known in the art capable ofcausing movement in a member or structure are also within the scope ofthe invention. Preferably, the arm 136B is capable of moving towards andaway from the slab 116 and/or oscillating using means such as thosedescribed in reference to the first shaping system 10.

Other aspects of the second shaping system 110 not discussed in anydetail can be, in terms of structure, function, materials, etc.,essentially as was described for the first shaping system 10.

FIGS. 23 through 33 represent and depict various aspects of anonlimiting embodiment of a third shaping system 210 within the scope ofthe invention. In FIGS. 23 through 33 consistent reference numbers areused to identify components that are the same or functionally related tocomponents identified in FIGS. 1 through 19, but with a numerical prefix(2) added to distinguish components depicted in FIGS. 23 through 33 fromtheir counterparts depicted in FIGS. 1 through 19.

The shaping system 210 includes multiple cutting devices 218 anddeburring devices 220 that are coupled to a frame 233. The system 210includes multiple table systems 221 within the frame 233, each includinga table 212 for supporting a slab or plate 216 during a slitting orcutting operation, and one of the deburring devices 220. Track systems232A and 232B on the frame 233 and the tables 212, respectively, allowthe carriage units 230A and 230B, and thereby the cutting and deburringdevices 218 and 220, to travel in the travel direction 228.

The cutting devices 218 are located on an arm 236A which bridges theframe 233 in a transverse direction between two bases 234 of thecarriage units 230A. Preferably, the individual cutting devices 218 areindependently capable of moving along the arm 236A, for example, withservomotors (not shown), in order to position the cutting devices 218 inlateral positions relative to the plate 216. Similarly, the tablesystems 221 preferably include lateral carriage units 239 coupled to thetables 212 which are independently capable of moving along a tracksystem 245, for example, with servomotors (not shown), in order toposition the tables 212 and the deburring device 220 therein in lateralpositions relative to the plate 216.

Preferably, the arms 236A and 236B are capable of vertical movementrelative to the frame 233. For example, the bases 234A may be capable ofraising and lowering the arm 236A relative to the frame 233 using meanssuch as those described in reference to the first shaping system 10.Likewise, the arm 236B may be capable of being raised and lowered usingmeans such as those described in reference to the first shaping system10. As best viewed in FIG. 29, the tables 212 may be positioned relativeto the frame 233 by extension or retraction of cylinders 241 housed inend frames 237 on oppositely disposed ends of the tables 212. Once thetable systems 221 are in their desired lateral and vertical positions,legs 243 may be extended to contact a support base 213 located below theframe 233 in order to stabilize the tables 212.

While cutting the plate 216, it is preferred that the table systems 221are individually located such that ends of the plate 216 and areas onoppositely disposed sides of each of the slits 222 are supported by thetables 212, such that all individual portions of the original plate 216are supported during and at the completion of the cutting operation.Further, each cutting device 221 is preferably operated in conjunctionwith one of the deburring devices 220 as previously described inreference to FIGS. 1 through 22.

The support base 213 may include a pit suitable for collecting debrisduring cutting operations. In order to promote removal of the debrisfrom the pit, the frame 233 is preferably capable of moving away fromthe pit to expose the debris within the pit. For example, the frame 233may be located on a track system 231 and capable of moving along thetrack system 231 via carriage units 229 along a direction 227. It isforeseeable that the frame 233 may be capable of moving in a directionother than 227, for example, the track system 231 could be configured totransport the frame 233 away from the support base 213 in the traveldirection 228. FIG. 33 represents the system 210 in an open, cleaningposition that provides easy access to the pit in the support base 213.

Other aspects of the third shaping system 210 not discussed in anydetail can be, in terms of structure, function, materials, etc.,essentially as was described for the first and/or second shaping systems10 and 110.

While the invention has been described in terms of particularembodiments, it is apparent that other forms could be adopted by oneskilled in the art. For example, the physical configuration of theshaping systems 10, 110, and 210 and their components could differ fromthat shown, and materials and processes/methods other than those notedcould be used. Therefore, the scope of the invention is to be limitedonly by the following claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A deburring device mounted on a shapingsystem for performing a deburring operation on an edge of a slit formedin a slab by a cutting operation performed on the slab by a cuttingdevice of the shaping system as the cutting device travels in a traveldirection, the deburring device being mounted on the shaping system soas to be behind the cutting device relative to the travel direction, thedeburring device comprising: a manifold having at least first, second,and third nozzles having first, second, and third axes, each of thefirst, second, and third nozzles having a shape that defines a heightand defines a width greater than the height thereof, the second nozzlebeing between the first and third nozzles so that the first and thirdnozzles are spaced apart from the second nozzle in oppositely-disposedlateral directions of the manifold, the first and third axes convergingwith the second axis toward a focal zone, the widths of the first,second, and third nozzles being disposed on different first, second, andthird planes, respectively, the first, second, and third nozzles beingadapted and shaped to project first, second, and third gas streamstherefrom that have widths disposed in the first, second, and thirdplanes axes, respectively; means for causing the deburring device totravel behind the cutting device in the travel direction; and whereinthe first, second, and third gas streams are projected in the traveldirection and toward a breakthrough point at a leading edge of the slit;and first and second oxygen-containing gases are supplied at differentpressures to the first, second, and third nozzles to produce the first,second, and third gas streams.
 2. The deburring device according toclaim 1, wherein the first and third planes are inclined relative to thesecond plane and toward each other.
 3. The deburring device according toclaim 1, wherein the first and third planes are below the second planeas the first, second, and third axes converge toward the focal zone. 4.The deburring device according to claim 1, wherein the deburring deviceis mounted on the shaping system relative to the cutting device so thatthe second axis of the second nozzle is parallel to the travel directionand directed at the breakthrough point of the slit, and the first andthird axes of the first and third nozzles are at acute angles to thetravel direction and directed at the breakthrough point of the slit. 5.The deburring device according to claim 1, further comprising a valvecoupled to the manifold and operable to enable the manifold to rotatewhile continuously supplying the first and second oxygen-containinggases to the first, second, and third nozzles.
 6. The deburring deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the first oxygen-containing gas issupplied to the second nozzle and the second oxygen-containing gas issupplied to the first and third nozzles.
 7. The deburring deviceaccording to claim 6, wherein the first oxygen-containing gas issupplied to the second nozzle at a lower pressure than the secondoxygen-containing gas.
 8. A method of operating a deburring devicemounted on a shaping system to perform a deburring operation at abreakthrough point at a leading edge of a slit formed in a slab by acutting operation performed on the slab by a cutting device of theshaping system as the cutting device travels in a travel direction, thedeburring device comprising a manifold having nozzles that each have anaxis, the nozzles comprising at least first, second, and third nozzlesthat have first, second, and third axes, respectively, the second nozzlebeing between the first and third nozzles and the first and thirdnozzles being spaced apart from the second nozzle in oppositely-disposedlateral directions of the manifold, the method comprising: positioningthe deburring device behind the cutting device relative to the traveldirection of the cutting device so that the second axis of the secondnozzle is parallel to the travel direction and directed at thebreakthrough point of the slit, and the first and third axes of thefirst and third nozzles are at acute angles to the travel direction anddirected at the breakthrough point of the slit; causing the deburringdevice to travel behind the cutting device in the travel direction; anddischarging first, second, and third gas streams from the first, second,and third nozzles, respectively, that converge at the breakthrough pointof the slit.
 9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the dischargingstep comprises discharging gas streams from all of the nozzles so thatthe gas streams of all of the nozzles converge at the breakthrough pointof the slit.
 10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the manifoldis oriented so that the first, second, and third axes of the first,second, and third nozzles are not parallel or perpendicular to the lowersurface of the slab.
 11. The method according to claim 8, wherein themanifold is oriented so that the first, second, and third axes of thefirst, second, and third nozzles are each at an acute angle to the lowersurface of the slab.
 12. The method according to claim 8, wherein eachof the first, second, and third nozzles has a shape that defines aheight and defines a width greater than the height thereof, the widthsof the first, second, and third nozzles are disposed on different first,second, and third planes, respectively, that contain the first, second,and third axes, respectively, the first, second, and third nozzlesdischarge the first, second, and third gas streams thereof so that thewidths of the first, second, and third gas streams are disposed in thefirst, second, and third planes, respectively, and the first and thirdplanes are inclined relative to the second plane and toward each other.13. The method according to claim 8, wherein the first and third planesare below the second plane as the first, second, and third axes convergetoward the focal zone.
 14. The method according to claim 8, furthercomprising supplying first and second oxygen-containing gases atdifferent pressures to the first, second, and third nozzles to producethe first, second, and third gas streams.
 15. The method according toclaim 14, further comprising rotating the manifold while continuouslysupplying the first and second oxygen-containing gases to the first,second, and third nozzles.
 16. The method according to claim 14, whereinthe first oxygen-containing gas is supplied to the second nozzle and thesecond oxygen-containing gas is supplied to the first and third nozzles.17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the firstoxygen-containing gas is supplied to the second nozzle at a lowerpressure than the second oxygen-containing gas.
 18. A deburring deviceadapted for performing a deburring operation on an edge of a material,the deburring device comprising: a manifold having at least first,second, and third nozzles having first, second, and third axes, each ofthe first, second, and third nozzles having a shape that defines aheight and defines a width greater than the height thereof, the secondnozzle being between the first and third nozzles so that the first andthird nozzles are spaced apart from the second nozzle inoppositely-disposed lateral directions of the manifold, the first andthird axes converging with the second axis toward a focal zone, thewidths of the first, second, and third nozzles being disposed ondifferent first, second, and third planes, respectively, the first,second, and third nozzles being adapted and shaped to project first,second, and third gas streams therefrom that have widths disposed in thefirst, second, and third planes axes, respectively; means for orientingthe manifold to project the first, second, and third gas streams at anedge of a material; and first and second oxygen-containing gasessupplied at different pressures to the first, second, and third nozzlesto produce the first, second, and third gas streams, the firstoxygen-containing gas being supplied to the second nozzle and the secondoxygen-containing gas being supplied to the first and third nozzles, thefirst oxygen-containing gas being supplied to the second nozzle at alower pressure than the second oxygen-containing gas.
 19. The deburringdevice according to claim 18, further comprising a valve coupled to themanifold and operable to enable the manifold to rotate whilecontinuously supplying the first and second oxygen-containing gases tothe first, second, and third nozzles.
 20. The deburring device accordingto claim 18, wherein the deburring device is mounted on a shaping systemrelative to a cutting device that forms the edge of the material at abreakthrough point of a slit formed by the cutting device in thematerial and so that the second axis of the second nozzle is parallel toa travel direction of the cutting device and directed at thebreakthrough point of the slit.
 21. The deburring device according toclaim 20, wherein the first and third axes of the first and thirdnozzles are at acute angles to the travel direction and directed at thebreakthrough point of the slit.